Auto body and top



s sheets-sheet 1 J. CAMPBELL AUTO BODY AND TOP Filed Nov. 12, 1929 June 9, 1931.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. CAMPBELL AUTO BODY AND TOP Filed Nov'. 12, 1929 June 9, 1931.

June v9, 1931. J. cuvnlanzLl.v

AUTO BODY AND TOP 5 sheets-sheet 5' Filed Nov. 12. 1929` lrwmvbcw v @Memup Patented June 9, 1931 JAMES CAMPBELL, or JACKSON, rarer-Ireen" AUTO BODY AND TOP Application filed November 12, 1929. Serial No. 406,648.

This invention aims to provide a novel form of folding top for an automobile, the construction being such that the top may be disposed in an out-oftheway position when 6 not in use. A. further object of the invention is to improve the body of the vehicle so as to accommodate the top.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

Writh the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation, an automobile equipped with my invent-ion, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a top plan wherein parts are in section, portions being broken away;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing how the front bow is mounted on the posts of the windshield;

Figure 4 is a sectional View illustrating tue mounting for t-he rear bow;

Figure 5 is a plan showing the pedestal to which the bow is pivoted in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating the tension means for the cover;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken through the spring casing;

Figure 8 is a sectional view showing how the front bow is secured to the windshield posts; n

Figure 9 is a view showing the holder for the set screw of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmental View illustrating in elevation, the means whereby tension is put on the rear end of the cover.

The device forming the subject matter of this application may be used on cars of widely different kinds, but, since some one particular form must be selected, the device is shown as mounted on a roadster, merely-by way of illustration.

The numeral 1 marks an automobile body, the platform of the vehicle being shown at 10 and the windshield posts at 11. The side doors appear at 2, and the drivers seat at 3. The numeral 4 marks a rumble seat, if one is provided in the vehicle.

A. compartment 5 is formed in the aut body 1, between the rumble seat 4 and the drivers seat r1`he compartment 5 is'closed by a lid6 that is hingedly mounted at 7 on the deck of the car. The lid 6 is held closed by a latch 8 or any other suitable device.

Side cha1nbers9 are formed in the auto body 1, at the sides ofthe drivers seat 3,

i and out of the way of the doors 2. The side chambers 9 communicate with the-ComparoA ment 5.

rlhe frame work that supportsthe top cover may be of'any desired construction. If preferred, it may include a front bow 14 provided with sockets ladapted to receive vreduced projections 12 on the windshield posts 11. Screw holders 16 vare mounted in the frontbow 14. Set screws 17 are threaded into the screw holders 16 and cooperate with the parts 12 of the windshield posts 11, as shown in Figure 8, to hold the front bow 14 in the position of Figure 1. The rear ends of the side arms of the front bow 14 are connected by rule joint hinges 18 with the forward ends of links 19. vThe rear ends of the links 19 are pivoted at 20 to the side arms of intermediate bows 21. The lower ends of the side arms of the intermediate bows 21 are pivoted at23 to a rear bow 22. The lower ends of the rear bow 22 are pivoted at 25 to the upper ends of standards 24. The standards 24 are secured to the platform 10 (or elsewhere) and are located in the side chambers 9. The numeral 26 designates a cover which is secured to the front row 14, and to the intermediate bow 21. The cover may be attached at any other desired place to the foldable frame work vwhich supports it.

On the lower end of the flexible cover 26 there is a reinforcing bar 27. The rear part of the cover 26 extends'fdownwardly across the front edge of the lid 6 into the compartment 5, the reinforcing bar 27 being located in the compartment 5. Flexible elements 28 are connected at their upper ends to the reinforcing bar 27 on the lower rear end of the cover 26. The lower ends of the flexible elements 28 are connected to plungers 29, slidable in upright cylindrical casings 30 mounted on the platform l0 of the vehicle, below the compartment 5. The platform 10 may have openings 34 through which the plungers 29 can slide (Figure 6). There are abutments 31 on the plungers 29 within the casins 30. Compression springs 32 'surroun the plungers 29 and are located in the casings 30. The upper end of the springs 32 engage the upper ends of the casings 30, and the lower ends of the springs engage the abutments 3l on the plungers 29.

When the supporting frame for the cover 26 is erected, as shown in Figure l, the springs 32 exert a pull on the cover 26 and maintain the cover taut and in the condition shown in Figure 1.

The lid 6 may be opened, and the supporting frame for the Cover 26 may be folded at the joints shown at lS-20-23-25, the side portions of the rear bow 22 swinging backwardly in the side chambers 9, until the cover 26 and its supporting frame work are housed in the compartment 5, as shown in dotted line in Figure 1.

The lid 6 is closed and held closed by means of the latch 8.

The device is simple in construction and capable of being mounted in cars of widely dii'erent sorts. The structure shown, described, and claimed may be operated readily by a single person, and does not call for the efforts of a strong man for its manipulation.

What is claimed is 1. In an auto body and top, an automobile provided with a seat and having a platform, the automobile being provided with a compartment located behind the seat and having a bottom arranged above the platformy and spaced vertically from the platform, a tension device disposed in said space and below the bottom of the compartment, a cover frame, a cover carried by the cover frame, means for pivotally connecting the cover frame to the automobile for folding into the compartment, and a connection between the lower end of the cover and the tension device, the connectionA being slidably mounted through the bottom of the compartment.

2. In an auto body and top, an automobile provided with a compartment, a downwardly closing lid for the compartment hinged at its rear edge to the automobile, a cover frame, a cover for the cover frame, and having a free, depending rear end extending into the compartment, means for pivotally connecting the cover frame to the automobile for folding into the compartment, said mechanism being located forwardly of the front edge of the 

